Crimson stains on white sand
by superfan92
Summary: A collection of somewhat related one shots centering around Korra and Mako's lives together. The first one is after the war with the equalist no there hasn't been a war yet I made it up
1. Blood

**I was recently watching the finale of Avatar and I wanted to write a little speculation about the ending of Legend of Korra. Or course it wouldn't be as violent and she probably wouldn't curse but…whatcha gonna do?**

**I own nothing**

"Mako!" Korra's voice ripped through the smoke and other noises that filled the night sky. She watched in horror as the young fire bender fell to his knees as one of Amon's henchmen plunged the spear through his back.  
"No!" Bolin stomped the earth shooting the man up into the sky then throwing him back with a boulder. Korra reached Mako first, catching him as he fell backwards limply.  
"Mako," her voice was frantic as she searched his face. He looked up at her with an expression riddled with pain.  
"It's okay," she promised pushing back his hair and stroking his sweat soaked forehead.  
"K..Kor..ra," he choked out.  
"It's going to be okay," she repeated before looking down at the rose colored stain that was spreading on his shirt. She ripped open the already torn cloth to reveal the bloody wound. She tried to remember everything she had been taught about healing with her water bending, yet as he hands covered his bloody chest nothing healed.  
"Dammit!" She cried after several failed attempts.  
"Please Korra," Bolin begged and she realized he was now beside her, cradling Mako's head on his lap.  
"I'm trying!" She yelled through her own tears. Mako's eyes were closed now, his breathing shallow and uneven.  
"Come on," she begged herself trying again. "Why won't this work?" She yelled at Bolin who looked more scared than she did.  
"Korra it's…it's okay," Mako's voice pulled her out of her pity and she looked back at him. He reached a hand up and gently stroked her cheek with his finger. She placed her own hand over his and held it tightly.  
"I'm going to fix this," she promised the dying boy.  
"You can't always fix everything," he told her sadly.  
"I'm not going to let you die," she said firmly.  
"Please Korra…it's too," his words cut off as a tremor shook his body and his eyes closed as his head lolled to the side. Korra could feel his hand grow limp in hers but continued to hold it firmly.  
"Mako?" She asked, the fear evident in her voice. "Mako!" She cried dropping his hand and burying her face in his chest and crying.  
"No," she repeated the word over and over.  
"Korra?" A voice asked from behind her causing her to jump up and turn around. She was no longer at the destroyed arena, Bolin and Mako were gone, and she was in her home in the water tribe. Katara was standing before her.  
"What's going on?" She asked.  
"It's alright now Korra," she said placing a hand on the young Avatar's shoulder.  
"No, I have to go back, I have to save Mako," she said.  
"You can't save Mako-"  
"I have to!" Korra screamed. "He can't die Katara, I can't lose him," she was sobbing again.  
"You can't save Mako like this," she clarified.  
"What?" Korra looked up at her.  
"You need to calm down Korra, you need a level head now, understand?" She nodded. "Focus Korra, you need the water on the wound." Korra nodded once again at the woman before closing her eyes.  
"Korra? Korra," her eyes snapped open at the sound of Bolin calling her name. She pulled back from Mako's still body and placed a hand over the open wound. She closed her eyes and felt the water cover her hand. "_Focus"_ Katara's words repeated in her head. She opened her eyes to find the blood disappearing and his skin closing up. Bolin looked at her with a mix of amazement and terror. She smiled at him before turning back to Mako who was now watching the pair.  
"Mako!" She sighed in relief leaning down to wrap her arms around his neck.  
"Ow, careful," he said while wrapping an arm around her back. Bolin helped him sit up to hold her tighter.  
"I thought I'd lost you," she cried into his neck.  
"Not that easily," he promised burying his face in her hair. She pulled away from him, and ignoring the fact Bolin was still beside them, kissed him on both cheeks and forehead before pulling him to her again.  
The next morning Korra knocked on Mako's door, entering before he answered. He was sitting propped up on the bed, his chest and part of his stomach wrapped up. He looked up when she opened the door, a look of relief on his face.  
"Hey," she said slipping into the room and making her way to his bed.  
"Your wrist," he pointed out, she loved the way his brow furrowed when he noticed she'd been hurt.  
"It's fractured not broken," she reassured him as she sat down beside him.  
"Where's Bolin gone?" Mako asked.  
"He went back to the city to check on Asami."  
"So it's just you and me left here?" He asked with a mischievous glint in his eyes.  
"And Tenzin and about a hundred other benders, oh and a couple guards here and there," she said jokingly but the corners of his mouth didn't twitch up.  
"How are you feeling?" she asked trying to change the subject.  
"Better I think, though I don't exactly remember much from last night or how I felt," he said shivering at a flashed memory of Korra with tears streaming down her face.  
"That's good," she looked down at her wrapped up wrist.  
"Korra," Mako said tilting her chin up with his hand ,"did I ever thank you for saving me?"  
"I don't think so," she said as she felt her pulse speed up.  
"Well thank you Korra," he said leaning in closer ever so slowly that Korra got tired and pressed her lips to his before he got the chance to initiate it, he didn't seem to mind.

The first time they'd kissed it had been a desperate goodbye. The second time he burnt her tongue. The third time was sort of an accident; she tripped and fell on top of him, their lips meeting by chance and neither moving for a minute. This time it was different, it wasn't rushed or desperate, it was long and sweet and full of every emotion either had ever felt. When they finally pulled away both were flushed and out of breath. Mako kept his hand planted on her cheek, lightly stroking her skin. Korra still had both arms around his neck, holding him a little while longer than necessary.  
"I was scared," she suddenly blurted out.  
"Huh?" He asked, his eyes still on her lips.  
"When I thought I couldn't save you, I was scared," she clarified.  
"I was scared too," he admitted.  
"Because you didn't think I could do it?"  
"No," he brought over his other hand so he could hold her face in his hands, "I was scared because I thought I couldn't protect you."  
"I don't need protection," it was the same thing she had told him last night before the battle, it was still a lie.  
"I know you don't," he said moving a hand to play with a strand of her hair. "And that's why I have to." Korra kissed him again and the passion and fire returned. They kissed longer, held each other more tightly, neither wanting the feeling of being alive and safe to go away. There was a knock at the door and the sound of someone clearing their throat, the pair turned to find Tenzin standing in the doorway.  
"Feeling better I see," the air bender nodded at the boy.  
"Yes sir," Mako nodded.  
"Korra could I see you out in the hall for a moment," Tenzin asked beckoning her with an arm.  
"I'll be back," she promised Mako before hopping off the bed to join her mentor.  
"Tenzin whatever you saw I just want you to know-" he cut her sentence off with a bone crushing hug  
"I'm very proud of you Korra," he told her.  
"I..what? You are?"  
"Of course!" he said releasing her from his grasp. "You saved our nation and still managed to further your powers."  
"I had to so I could-"  
"Yes I know, so you could save Mako," he gave her an understanding smile.  
"Thank you for always taking care of me," Korra watched his grey eyes flicker in the early light.  
"You are like a daughter to me, you always will be," Tenzin said before steering her back towards Mako's door. "Now go take care of him." Korra hugged him one last time before returning to Mako to resume what they had started.

_Love it? Hate it? Reviews are nice, even little two word ones or smiley faces. Thanks for reading_


	2. Flowers and dumplings

**I own nothing I'm just a bored fan girl who has a lot of feelings. And I do go here**

Mako entered the apartment, tiredly pushing open the door and throwing his key on the nearest table. He wiped a hand over his face and through his messy hair. His sleep deprived eyes and frown line made the young fire bender looked much older than 23. He had been getting home late for the past few nights and was bordering on being dangerously sleep deprived.  
He made his way to the bathroom and pulled off his sweat soaked tank and tossed it against the door. He slipped his feet from his aching shoes and splashed the cold water on his face for a moment to wake him up.  
Although his original plan had been crawling into bed and passing out he couldn't help but stand in the doorway for a few minutes and watch the young Avatar who was sitting on the bed reading. He cleared his throat causing her to look up from the book and smile at him. He strode over to the bed and climbed in beside her, throwing an arm behind his head to lean on. Korra looked him over, noting the tiredness in his expression but that the light in his eyes was still there.  
"Long day?" She asked placing the book down beside her.  
"Sam as usual," he shrugged, "how about you?"  
"Council meetings and training sessions."  
"Training sessions?" He asked.  
"It's not what you think," she almost laughed at the serious expression on his face, "it's all about my spiritual side or something."  
"Well good," he wrapped an arm around her, well best he could around her protruding belly.  
"We missed you," she said closing her eyes and leaning into the feel of his arms and his scent.  
"I missed you too," he nuzzled his face in the crook of her neck and breathed a sigh of content.  
"Bolin came by before," she said running a hand through his hair.  
"Did he?" Mako asked though she could tell he was barely listening to her and already fast asleep.  
"He was going to stay and wait for you to get home but it was getting late."  
"I know, I'm sorry," he said pulling her closer.  
"It's okay," she said leaning down and trying to get comfortable, which she found increasingly hard.  
"I love you," he murmured as he fell into sleep.  
"I love you too," she said closing her eyes and joining him in a dreamless slumber. Mako awoke at six the next morning for work. He unwillingly pulled himself from the warm bed and his wife's embrace. He placed a soft kiss to her head and placed a hand on her growing belly in hopes the baby would kick, no such luck. When Korra awoke an hour later to an empty bed she bit her lip and looked around disappointedly.

Mako wiped the sweat from his brow as the whistle blew signifying their lunch break. He stepped away from his station and headed for the door to find some food. He was half way to the entrance when a hand clapped down on his arm pulling him to a stop. He looked up to find his boss looming over him.  
"Do you need something sir?" He asked.  
"You look beat Mako," he noted.  
"I'm sorry sir," he said looking down.  
"Why don't you take the rest of the day off boy?"  
"Really?" He looked back up at the man with a smile building on his face.  
"Yeah get out of here," he released the younger man's arm and moved on.

Korra left the meeting and walked down the covering outside the air temple. She rested her elbows on the railing and looked over to Republic City.  
"See something you like?" A voice asked behind her and she turned around with a surprised gasp to find her husband standing before her.  
"What are you doing here?" She asked before closing the distance between them and pressing her lips to his.  
"I didn't feel like taking my lunch in the city," he said handing her a takeout bag.  
"My hero," she smirked taking it gratefully.  
"And these are for you," he said pulling out a small bouquet of flowers he had behind his back.  
"Mako," she shook her head as she took them. They ate by the water in silence, well besides the sound of the children from inside.  
"So what do you want to do now?" Mako asked lying beside where Korra was sitting on the grass.  
"Don't you need to get back?" Korra asked.  
"Nope," he shook his head.  
"Oh my God Mako did you get fired?" She asked.  
"No," he laughed at her tone. "But seriously let's get out of here."  
"Where would we go?" Korra asked.  
"Home?" He suggested.  
"Before midnight?" she pretended to look aghast.  
"I do believe we have a nursery to prepare," he said reaching a hand out to place on her protruding stomach.  
"So it would seem," she said smiling at her husband.

That night they went to bed before ten and laid entangled in each other for hours of peaceful dreams where Mako saw his parents smiling faces and Korra saw the face of a newborn baby smiling at her.

**Please review, thanks **


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